Jake Rainey to leave Flying Saucer for new position

Jake Rainey, a fixture on Houston’s beer scene for more than a decade as the local head of the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, is leaving the company to take a part-ownership role in a locally based venture that’s also well known to craft-beer fans.

Rainey, 36, will leave as regional general manager over the downtown and Sugar Land Flying Saucer locations and as beer director for the Dallas-based chain effective July 1.

He will begin work immediately as chief operating officer of the group that owns Cottonwood and Liberty Station, in charge of those bars and any future concepts the group will open.

He will work out of those sites until office space is secured.

“I love the Saucer,” Rainey says of his employer of more than 10 1/2 years. “We’re leaving on great terms. This is just something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Rainey said Stephen Wagner will take over as general manager of the Sugar Land Saucer and Asa Hanrahan will remain as GM of the downtown location.

The chain does not plan to replace the positions of regional manager and beer director that he jointly held, Rainey said.